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'No. 608,896. Patented Aug. 9, I898.

' B. MCINNERNEY.

GENERATOR FOB ELECTRICAL IGNITERS.

(Application filed Mar. 30, 1895., (NolndoL) 2 Sheets-Sheet l.

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No. 608 896. Patented Au 9, I898. B. McINNERNEY.

GENERATOR FOR ELECTRICAL-WINTERS.

(Applicnio'n fllod am. 30, 1am. (lo Iodel.) 2 Shuh$hut 2.

UNITED STATE PATENT OFFICE.

BENJAMIN MOINNERNEY, OF OMAHA, NEBRASKA, ASSIGNOR TO THE MCINNERNEY MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

GENERATOR FOR ELECTRICAL IGNITERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 608,896, dated August 9, 1898 Application filed March 30,1898.

To (.tZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN MCINNERNEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Omaha, in the county of Douglas and State of Nebraska, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Generators for Elec trical Igniters, of which the following is a specification.

I'Ieretofore the igniters of gas-engines have in some cases been supplied with electric currents from generators connected with or operated by the engines themselves, and this arrangement has proved effective to a certain extent. In all arrangements heretofore employed, however, the time of ignition has depended upon the making and breaking of a circuit, the generator either operating continuously or at fixed intervals. As a result the charges in such engines have generally been exploded at the same period of each revolution,whether the engine is running fast or slow, or at the start or later, and in all cases there have been no means of varying the periods of ignition from time to time when it is desirable to do so.

My invention has for its object to remedy these defects, to which end I construct the generator for the igniting-current and arrange the same as fully set forth hereinafter and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side view of a gas-engine with my improvement; Fig. 2, a plan of Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a side view illustrating a modification. Fi 4 is an enlarged view of the genorator.

My invention is applicable to any form or construction of engine or apparatus where an electric current is required at intervals and where the engine itself must operate the generator. In the drawings I have shown a gasengine having a cylinder A, crankshaft 4, connecting rod, piston, and electrical i niter of any suitable kind, either with separated fixed electrodes or with separable electrodes or with a continuous wire becoming incandescent under a current.

The engine preferably has also a circuit maker and breaker at any desired point. One or both electrodes within the cylinder maybe movable for this purpose; butI have Serial No. 675,776, (No model.)

shown in Fig. 1 an inside circuit-breaking ig niter consisting of an electrode carried by a rock-shaft and a fixed electrode, the rockshaft extending to the outside of the cylinder and having an arm 2 and the electrodes both in circuit with the generator-coils, hereinafter described. The arm 2 is connected to be operated at proper intervals from any moving part of the engine. The above described parts being all of any ordinary construction need not be described in detail.

The generator G for the igniter may be made in different ways, but in any case consists of two parts, one occupying normally a fixed position upon an adjustable support and the other carried by any moving part of the engine, (rotating, vibrating, or reciprocating,) so that a current is generated and sent upon the circuit only as one of these two parts passes in proximity to the other.

In the construction shown in Figs. 1 and 2 the generator consists of a permanent horseshoe-magnet 6 and a series of U-shaped softiron plates forming a laminated core 7, about the forks of which is wound a wire constituting generating-coils 8 8, in circuit with the igniter and with the circuit-breaker, when one is used. One part, as the part 6, of the generator is carried by the fly-wheel 9 and is properly mounted thereon, if required, by non-magnetic mountings and secured thereto, while the other part of the generator is fix edly connected with any suitable adjustable support which will support it in such a position that the part 6 shall pass in proximity thereto on the revolution of the wheel.

The adjustable support shown consists of an arm 12, carrying one part of the generator at one end and pivoted at the other to a standard 13, extending upward from a base 14, which may be bolted to the floor in such a position that the parts 7 8 of the generator shall be in a position for the part 6 to pass in such proximity thereto as to generate a cur rent in the coils.

The normal position of the parts is such that the two parts of the generator will be in proximity and a current generated at the period when the piston is at the end of its back stroke or at whatever point it is thought most oifcctive to explode the charge in the working operation of the engine. In starting the engine, however, it is not desirable to explode at the end of the back stroke, but after the piston has passed forward to a certain extent. I therefore provide means for moving the support 12 so as to shift the po: sition of the adjustable part of the generator to such an extent that the two parts will not coact to produce a current until the piston has left the head of the cylinder, and the extent to which the adjustable part is shifted will determine the point of ignition.

Any suitable means of moving the adj ustable part of the generator maybe employed. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, an arm 15, extending from the arm 12,is connected by a rod 16 with a treadle 17, so that the engineer, stcpping on the treadle, can shift the adjustable part of the generator prior to and durin g the turning of the flywheel by hand, thus insuring one point of explosion. After the engine has started the foot is removed from the treadle and the adjustable part of the generator moves back to its normal position, insuring the ignition of the charge at the normal point of explosion. Of course, if desired, the adjustable part of the generator may be secured temporarily at any desired intermediate" point or shifted from time to time, and the extent to which it is shifted may be regulated by any suitable adjustable stop device, as the set-screw 18, passing through the treadle. IVhen the engine is starting or running slow, a more effective spark is secured by having the movable part pass in close proximity to the adjustable part of the generator; but if the parts retain this close proximity at high speeds the spark will be too violent and might burn out the insulation, &c. I therefore carry the adjustable part farther from the movable part of the generator in restorin g the parts to normal positions. One means of doing this is to so set the supporting frame rangement is the subject of a separate application for Letters Patent, Serial No. (575,775, filed March 80, 1898.

I have discovered that in the rapid operation of the devices above described the current in the coils is generated before the two parts of the generator are brought together that is, before the magnet is brought above the coreand that a more effective current is secured if the two parts are so constructed that one pole or part of the moving part of the generator is in advance 'of the other in approaching the adjustable portion. Thus the permanent magnet 6 is set on the flywheel so that the pole N approaches the core ahead of the pole S.

IVithout limiting myself to the precise constructionand arrangement of parts shown, I claim- 1. The combination with a gas-engine and with the igniter thereof, of a two-part generator provided with a core and generator-coils in circuit with the igniter, one of said part-s connected to a moving part of the engine, and the other having an adj ustable support to which it is fixedly connected, and means for shifting the support,substantially as set forth.

2. The combination with a gas-engine and its electrical igniter, of a two-part generator, one carried by a moving part of the engine, and the other by an adjustable support, the same relatively arranged so that one portion of the movable part will approach the adj ustable part in advance of the other, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination of a gas-engine,its electrical igniter, a two-part generator, one part carried by a moving part of the engine, and means for varying the relative distance of the two parts at the time that one passes the other, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination with a gas-engine and its igniter, of a generator comprising two parts, one secured to a moving part of the engine, and an adjustable support for the other part, means for regulating the movement of the adjustable support, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination with a gas-engine and with the igniter thereof, of a two-part generator provided with a core and generator-coils in circuit with the igniter, one of said parts connected to a moving part of the engine, and the other having an adjustable support to which it is fixedly connected, means for shifting the support, and a circuit-breaker, substantially as set forth.

6. A generator for electrical igniterscomposed of two parts, one carried by a moving part of the engine, the other relatively stationary and means for adjusting the relation of one part to the other during the operation of the engine, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

BENJAMIN MOINNERNEY.

Witnesses:

CHARLES E. Fos'rnn, W. CLARENCE DUVALL. 

